Back to results
US 11,585,093 B2Granted
Skylight dimmer
AssigneeSolatube International, Inc.
InventorsDavid Rillie, Joseph Prenn, Kalen Eidenschink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dimmer mechanism is movable by a motor that is powered by solar-charged supercapacitors between a first configuration, in which the dimmer mechanism blocks little of the interior of a skylight tube to maximize light throughput into a room, and a second configuration, in which the dimmer mechanism blocks more of the interior of a skylight tube to reduce light throughput into the room.
Claims11
An assembly, comprising:
- at least one light conveying structure having an upper end configured to be covered by a transparent cover and a lower end, the light conveying structure being configured to guide sunlight entering the transparent cover through the lower end into a room;
- a dimmer mechanism in the light conveying structure;
- at least one motor;
- at least one power supply coupled to the motor to energize the motor;
- at least one wireless receiver configured to receive commands from at least one remote control (RC);
- and
- at least one controller configured to receive commands from the RC and:
- activate the motor to move the dimmer mechanism;
- and
- maintain the dimmer mechanism in a closed configuration responsive to at least one light sensor providing output indicating low or no sunlight.
7 more elements
An assembly, comprising:
- at least one light conveying structure having an upper end configured to be covered by a transparent cover and a lower end, the light conveying structure being configured to guide sunlight entering the transparent cover through the lower end into a room;
- a dimmer mechanism in the light conveying structure;
- at least one motor;
- at least one wireless receiver configured to receive commands from at least one remote control (RC) to activate the motor to move the dimmer mechanism,
- wherein the RC comprises a single-button control element for activating the motor in both directions and the assembly comprises:
- at least one switch operatively associated with the motor to cause the motor to stop turning regardless of whether the single-button control element remains actuated to transmit the commands responsive to a first angular position being reached.
3 more elements
An assembly, comprising:
- at least one light conveying structure having an upper end configured to be covered by a transparent cover and a lower end, the light conveying structure being configured to guide sunlight entering the transparent cover through the lower end into a room;
- a dimmer mechanism in the light conveying structure;
- at least one motor;
- at least one wireless receiver configured to receive commands from at least one remote control (RC);
- and
- at least one controller configured to:
- activate the motor to move the dimmer mechanism;
- and
- delay activating the motor responsive to the dimmer mechanism being fully open or fully closed before reversing the motor.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.